Asian Heritage Month
Asian Heritage Month

Honouring Asian Heritage Month

Each May, we celebrate Asian Heritage Month and the work of University of Alberta faculty, researchers, and instructors as well as students who are demonstrating leadership in creating a world that is more equitable and inclusive — that uplifts the whole community, in all of its diversity.

Officially recognized following the efforts of Senator Vivienne Poy, the month serves as a time to collectively recognize the contributions and diverse stories of all those Canadians who can trace their roots back to East Asia, Southern Asia, Western, Central and Southeast Asia. It’s a time to listen, engage, and learn.

We invite you to join in the celebration and explore the diversity of Asian experiences by checking out the university's collections, stories, histories, and resources.

See the president's message honouring Asian Heritage Month »


Asian Heritage Month Events

Overhead view of people gathering on a paved square

Chinese Citizens' Global Perception Survey Report Launch

May 24, 2023 at 10 A.M.

The China Institute is pleased to introduce our first Chinese Citizens' Global Perception Survey (CCGPS). Join the lead author and main contributors as we discuss the key findings during the How China Sees the World in 2023 report launch.

Chinese Merchants in Western Canada

Mercantile Mobility: Chinese Merchants in Western Canada

May 24 – Nov 30, 2023

This exhibition takes us on a journey through time, from the mid-19th century to the end of the 20th century, to explore what happened to Chinese immigrant workers after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

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Strait Talk Canada: Alberta

May 26 – 28, 2023

Strait Talk is a non-partisan dialogue workshop that empowers young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to collaborate in transforming the Taiwan Strait conflict.

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Asian Heritage at U of A's Botanical Garden

Visit the U of A’s Botanical Garden and you will see a beautiful manifestation and celebration of those ties in the Aga Khan Garden’s traditional Islamic Garden design, as well as the Kurimoto Japanese Garden, named after Dr. Yuichi Kurimoto, who in 1930 became the U of A’s first graduate of Japanese descent.

Featured Event

A Celebration of Asian Heritage at the University of Alberta

Wednesday, May 19
4:30 - 5:30 p.m. MST

The Association of Chinese Canadian Professors (ACCP) & Engage India: Association of Professors (EIAP) in collaboration with University of Alberta International, will jointly host an event to celebrate the many achievements of our campus community members of Asian heritage and to promote Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity by expressing solidarity against anti-Asian racism. This event is open to interested students, faculty, staff, and the public.

Register

Featured Stories

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Mercantile Mobility: Chinese Merchants in Western Canada exhibition

New U of A Library exhibition honours Chinese immigrant contributions

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Five Tips for Learning and Teaching Mandarin

UNIVERSITY NEWS
The Aga Khan Garden at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden

Reflecting on the U of A's partnership with the Aga Khan University on their 40th anniversary

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Collection of books written by authors of Asian Canadian descent.

Browsing our Collections: Asian Canadian Authors

UNIVERSITY NEWS
Collection of French books written by authors of Asian Canadian descent.

Explorer nos collections : Auteurs Canadiens d’origine asiatique

UNIVERSITY NEWS
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Fishing Village Beneath Wu Guanzhong’s Brush

UNIVERSITY NEWS
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Wang Gai’s Pursuit of Ink and Inspiration

UNIVERSITY NEWS
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Year of the Rabbit: Auspicious Blessings from the Moon Goddess, Chang’e

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Bridgerton and why Asian representation in media matters

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Peonies in Bloom

In this exhibition you will find textiles and paintings decorated with peony blossoms—from the Qing Imperial Court to the commercial textile industry.

See exhibit

East Asian Studies Department

The Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Alberta offers degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate level in Chinese, Korean and Japanese language, linguistics, and literature. As one of the leading university departments in Canada devoted solely to the study of East Asia, we provide our students with a valuable opportunity to build a solid foundation for a career involving this exciting and economically vigorous part of the world.